Landlord in the Arctic-Chapter 77: Predicament

The bad blood between the two peoples stretched back ten thousand years, a hatred carved into their very bones.

Unable to persuade Nash, Feng Shan could only shrug, put on his fur coat, and leave the room.

The three White Wolves lying by the door stood up, shook the snow from their fur, and walked to Feng Shan’s side.

"You’ve done well."

Seeing how dutiful the White Wolves were, Feng Shan decided to give them a reward: the Crown Territory would allow one Wolf Pack to exist, and it would be the pack of White Wolves.

It was an October morning on the shores of Kivalina, and the sky was a dismal gray.

The entire town was shrouded in silence, the houses appearing somewhat blurry under the gray sky.

No smoke rose from the chimneys, no lights shone from the windows. Everything was still immersed in slumber.

Accompanied by the White Wolves, Feng Shan walked to the beach. A concrete seawall had been built along the edge of the coast to block the impact of the waves.

In the distance, floes of sea ice drifted slowly with the waves.

It was his first time seeing a frozen ocean. Back in Hai City, where it was like spring all year round, one could never see such a sight.

There were no crashing waves, no warm, humid sea breeze—only a frozen silence.

"It’s beautiful, isn’t it?" a woman’s voice sounded from behind him.

Feng Shan turned around. Louise was walking over, bundled up in a winter coat.

The two stood side-by-side on the beach, gazing at the sea, not speaking. The bone-chilling wind gently lifted strands of their hair.

After a moment, Louise sighed softly. "A sight like this... it’s beautiful enough to make you feel helpless, isn’t it?"

’What is this woman trying to pull?’

Feng Shan turned to look at her and gave a slight nod of agreement.

Louise pulled her winter coat tighter, her gaze fixed on a patch of dark gray clouds on the horizon, a trace of melancholy flickering in her eyes.

"This island beneath your feet was once 120 meters above sea level. Now, it’s less than three. Every storm means Kivalina loses another piece of its land."

"The weather gets warmer every year. When I was a child, the sea would have been frozen solid by this time of year. I remember my father would take his sled dogs out on the ice to hunt seals, and he would always return with a full load."

"Every year, our tribe used to hunt 80 to 100 seals. This year, I’m afraid we’ll only manage to get eight. Kivalina is facing a shortage of dried meat and blubber, and we’ve already started applying for food aid from the state government."

"The men have gone to the big cities, leaving behind the elderly, women, and children. If you hadn’t shot that Black Wolf, we really would have struggled to survive the coming winter."

’Why are you telling me all this?’

’I don’t even live in Kivalina.’

Feng Shan had a feeling the woman before him was laying it on thick with a sob story.

"The Ice Sea is devouring Kivalina Island. The state government has estimated that by 2025, Kivalina will be completely submerged in the Chukchi Sea."

"Many people have started moving the remains of their loved ones from the cemetery to keep them from being washed away by the sea. Eighty percent of the island’s residents don’t have toilets; they have to build their own."

"We have to move, find a new reservation. I hope..."

After all that buildup, just as Louise was about to get to the point, she saw Feng Shan turn and walk away without a backward glance. The rest of her words caught in her throat.

’Hope my ass!’

’Just as I expected. She was all smiles but had an ulterior motive.’

Feng Shan picked up his pace, scurrying back to his hotel room and slamming the door shut.

Meeting Nash’s confused gaze, he nodded.

"You were right. The Inuit are no good."

By the sea.

Watching Feng Shan’s figure disappear, Louise sighed silently. Old Swan appeared from out of nowhere and walked to her side.

"How did it go? Did Feng agree?"

"No. Why do we have to move to the Crown Territory? The state government has already chosen a settlement for us."

"You don’t understand. The Crown Territory is different from other places. It’s really different!" Old Swan’s face showed his disappointment.

After seeing Feng Shan last night, Old Swan had been planning this.

The bonfire ceremony had two purposes. The first was to thank Feng Shan for helping Kivalina hunt down Fenrir. The second was to have Maria meet Feng Shan.

He had learned from their radio chats that Feng Shan had neither a wife nor a girlfriend.

’A man living on the desolate Tundra with only an Indian for company must surely need a woman around.’

However, Feng Shan didn’t seem to react to Maria last night.

And when Maria went to the inn, she was scared off by the White Wolves.

’This is tricky.’

Old Swan let out a long sigh.

The Kivalina Tribe had once prospered. In those days, the people were united, working together and passing down their unique culture and customs.

They would hunt whales, seals, and Polar Bears together, share tribal stories by the bonfire, and the children would grow up amidst laughter.

However, as time went on and the environment changed, the sea gradually eroded their home.

The land became unstable, their houses teetered on the brink of collapse, and the resources they depended on for survival dwindled day by day.

Although everyone in the tribe did their utmost to protect their home, trying all sorts of methods to fend off the sea’s encroachment—building dikes, reinforcing houses—in the face of nature, all these efforts seemed so insignificant.

In the end, they could only watch helplessly as their tribal lands were devoured by the sea bit by bit, and everything they had once known disappeared into the vast waters.

This feeling of powerlessness was like being trapped in a nightmare from which there was no escape. Not just him, but all the residents of Kivalina were filled with despair.

Even if the state government allocated them a new reservation, Kivalina would have to spend all its money on the exorbitant relocation fees. What would be left in the end?

Old Swan looked at Louise. "I will ask for Feng’s opinion. Don’t get your hopes up too high. It’s better to prepare for the move."

With that said, he walked toward the residential area with heavy steps.

Louise remained standing by the sea, gazing at the boundless Ice Sea.

...

Inside the hotel room.

Feng Shan hung up the satellite phone. He had just finished talking to Tom.

Flying from Fairbanks to Kivalina Town was a journey of over 900 kilometers that would take at least ten hours.

Furthermore, with Nash and three White Wolves, a normal small plane wouldn’t be big enough. He would have to borrow a larger aircraft, which could only arrive in Kivalina the next morning.

He would have to wait another day.

Feng Shan planned to pack his bags and wait for the plane out on the Tundra. He felt completely uneasy staying in the town.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!!

There was a knock on the door, followed by Old Swan’s voice.

"Feng, come out! I’ve brought you money!"

’Money?’

Feng Shan gestured for Nash to open the door. The door opened, and Old Swan walked into the room. Deliberately ignoring the neatly packed luggage, he pulled out a check.

"Pal, it was too late last night to tell you. This is the state government’s bounty for Fenrir—3,000 US Dollar. I’ve brought it for you."

Well, you can’t be rude to someone who shows up with a smile, much less one who’s bringing you money.

Feng Shan managed a slight smile and took the check. "Sorry, I don’t have any alcohol here, or we could have a drink."

"No problem, I have some at my place!" Old Swan waved his hand dismissively, then looked at the luggage with feigned curiosity. "Feng, what are you up to?"

’What am I up to?’

’He’s asking the obvious. Of course I’m getting the hell out of here. If I stay any longer, you people will eat me alive!’

Feng Shan gave a fake smile. "I was getting ready to head out to the Tundra, see if I could hunt a reindeer."

"What’s so fun about hunting?" Old Swan turned and pointed toward the Ice Sea. "We’re going to check our nets today. Want to try fishing on the Ice Sea?"

...